PowerProtect Data Manager: Oracle Database Backup Fails With RMAN‑06059 "Expected Archived Log Not Found"

An Oracle database backup initiated through PowerProtect Data Manager fails. The backup job log reports the following errors (database name, file path, and archive log filename vary per environment):

Failed to perform operation on asset - abc

RMAN-06059: expected archived log not found, loss of archived log compromises recoverability
ORA-19625: error identifying file C:\DB\ORADATA\SCDBPRD\ARCH\ABC123.ARC
ORA-27041: unable to open file
OSD-04002: unable to open file
O/S-Error: (OS 2) The system cannot find the file specified.

Recovery Manager complete.

The Oracle RMAN repository (stored in the control file or RMAN catalog) contains metadata references to archived redo logs that no longer exist on disk. When RMAN attempts to validate or back up these archived logs as part of the PowerProtect Data Manager backup operation, it cannot locate the files and generates the RMAN‑06059 error.

This condition typically occurs when archive log files are manually deleted from the file system (or removed by a third-party maintenance process) without first being crosschecked or removed from the RMAN catalog/control file metadata. The RMAN repository still records the logs as available, but the physical files no longer exist.

Expire the missing archive logs from the RMAN repository and delete the expired entries so that RMAN no longer expects them during backup operations. Perform the following steps on the Oracle database host.

1. Connect to RMAN:
   • Log in to the Oracle database host and connect to RMAN as the target database:

rman target /

2. Crosscheck all archived logs:
   • Run the crosscheck command to verify which archived logs still exist on disk. RMAN marks any missing logs as EXPIRED:

CROSSCHECK ARCHIVELOG ALL;

• • RMAN compares the metadata in its repository against the physical files on disk. Any archived log that no longer exists on disk is marked as EXPIRED.

3. Review the expired archived logs (optional):

• • List the archived logs that RMAN has marked as EXPIRED to confirm they match the files referenced in the error:

LIST EXPIRED ARCHIVELOG ALL;

• • Review the output to verify that the expired entries correspond to the missing files reported in the backup error (for example, the file path and archive log name from the ORA‑19625 error).

4. Delete the expired archived log entries:

• • Remove the expired archive log entries from the RMAN repository:

DELETE EXPIRED ARCHIVELOG ALL;

• • When RMAN prompts for confirmation, type YES to proceed.
  • This command removes the metadata references to the missing archive logs from the RMAN repository. It does not delete any physical files - the files are already missing from the disk. After this step, RMAN no longer expects these archive logs during backup operations.

5. Re-run the PowerProtect Data Manager backup:

• • Return to the PowerProtect Data Manager UI and trigger a manual backup for the affected Oracle database.
  • Confirm the backup completes successfully without the RMAN‑06059 error.

6. Prevent recurrence: 

• • Do not manually delete archive log files from the file system. Always use RMAN commands (such as DELETE ARCHIVELOG) or Oracle-integrated maintenance processes to remove archived logs. This ensures the RMAN repository stays synchronized with the files on disk. 
  • Consider configuring an Oracle archive log management policy.